Command your signal. Rule the air.
- Quick specs
- Price: Free to try (30-day trial) $39.95 to buy
- Operating system: Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7
- Date added: June 28, 2010
- Total Downloads: 7,265,930
- Downloads last week: 34,508
- Product Ranking: #6 in Antivirus Software
- See full specifications
- CNET Community
- This product is on 10 member lists. Add to my list Add to my Watch List
- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 530 votes
See all user reviews
CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Seth Rosenblatt on January 19, 2010
An A-list antivirus, Avast Professional 5 provides steadfast protection and a robust selection of features. This version is the paid upgrade of the better-known Avast Free, and includes several additional features. It doesn't have all of Avast's available features, and that last batch has been saved for another paid upgrade, Avast Internet Security.
Avast Professional protects you with multiple guards. The antivirus, antispyware, and heuristics engines form a security core that also includes multiple real-time shields. The adjustable mail and file system shields join the pre-existing behavior, network, instant messaging, peer-to-peer (P2P), script, and Web shields. The behavioral shield is a common-sense feature, as security software publishers leverage their large user bases to detect threats early and warn others. Other new features include a silent/gaming mode, a testing sandbox, a firewall, antispam measures, and an "intelligent scanner" that only looks at changed files after establishing a baseline. Users should note that Avast Internet Security is the higher-end version of Avast's two paid programs. Avast Professional 5 includes the sandbox and script shield, but not the firewall or antispam features.
The biggest change in Avast 5, though, is the interface. Gone is the music player default look, which was skinnable but confusing, and in its place is a sleek UI that new users should find far more manageable. It's also Aero-friendly, with Explorer-style navigation buttons in case you can't remember where you tweaked a particular setting.
Avast has been reliably effective, and recent independent efficacy tests indicate that it can hold its own against Symantec's Norton and other popular brands. The price of this version is comparable to those, too, albeit slightly cheaper in some cases. If you want the extra protection offered here and value the brand name, Avast Professional 5 is worth the cost if you're buying for just one computer.
Publisher's description
From AVAST Software:Avast Pro Antivirus is for people and companies that want a customized computer security package. Antivirus and internet protection components in Avast Pro Antivirus are built for easy integration with existing firewalls in users' home or work computers. Pro Antivirus has two major additions to the core protection elements in Avast Free Antivirus: the Script Engine and the Sandbox. The Script Shield and its script detection engine stop malware at the point of entry- web browsing activities. The Script Shield watches scripts executed in the operating system and scans scripts (both remote and local) run as a part of a Web page.
What's new in this version:
Version 5.0.594 improves interaction with Windows System Restore; namely, avast now auto-repairs itself when it detects a corrupted VPS due to a System Restore (or other reasons) - aswSP.sys.More popular Antivirus Software downloads
- 1,592,909 downloads 1. AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition
- 1,296,761 downloads 2. Avast Free Antivirus
- 606,264 downloads 3. Avira AntiVir Personal - Free Antivirus
- 48,600 downloads 4. Emsisoft Anti-Malware
- 39,880 downloads 5. Norton AntiVirus 2010
- See all Antivirus Software downloads
User reviews
- All versions: 4.4 starsout of 530 votes
- 5 stars
- 4 stars
- 3 stars
- 2 stars
- 1 stars
- Current version: 3.9 starsout of 14 votes
- 5 stars
- 4 stars
- 3 stars
- 2 stars
- 1 stars
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
-
4 stars
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Version: Avast Pro Antivirus 5.0.594
"Great but did try to delete the trusted installer"
Pros: sandbox and p2p make this program
Cons: tried to delete trusted installer on my windows vista 64bit. and reset my malwarebytes back to free version
-
5 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Avast Pro Antivirus 5.0.594
"very sensetive"
Pros: can detect alot of harmful Viruses
Cons: detecting some games as trojan
Summary: I like it because it really detects old and new harmful viruses. what I don't like about is that, it so sensitive. but all in all I really like it.
-
5 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Avast Pro Antivirus 5.0.594
"I like the audio except it scared me."
Pros: It seems to work well
Cons: There is nothing I don' like.
-
5 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Avast Pro Antivirus 5.0.594
"Best Internet Security Out of Everyone I Have Used"
Pros: Blocks junk before it gets on computer or blocks it before it executes,Great firewall, Love the shields for everything,Great automatic updates,Very user friendly/Configurable,IP look up and trace under firewall/network tools tab.Doesn't hog system up
Cons: Scanning isn't fast but gets the job done.
Summary: This is the best Internet Security Suite available without the bloat and annoyances. Even the free version is just as good as this.
-
5 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Avast Pro Antivirus 5.0.594
"best antivirus suite avalible to date"
Pros: fast scans updates its self not big drain on pc protects everything but browers no false positives
Cons: needs brower protection? then wouldnt need spyware blaster.
Summary: gonna keep it and use it feel vary safe now. better than avg security suite !
-
5 stars
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Avast Pro Antivirus 5.0.594
"excellent anti virus software"
Pros: voice notification,faster
Cons: no link scanner
Summary: no comment
-
5 stars
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Version: Avast Pro Antivirus 5.0.594
"as usual avast is ahead of the game"
Pros: You are updated regularly and you are not obligated to do anything. This product does not slow down your equipment and it works effortlessly and professionally
Cons: I cannot give a negative about the product itself but the registration procedure is cumbersome.
Summary: Since I am retired and I use my computer for communication and information gathering, it is important to me that I am not hacked by some clowns who delight in proving how smart they are by creating the various virus. These virus are a bane to our existence. I am on fixed income and every penny counts. To have the basic AVAST available at no cost is a wonderful thing. Thank You..
-
4 stars
Version: Avast Pro Antivirus 5.0.594
"Best app among free ones, better than many with fee."
Pros: Install it and forget it. Mail, system, web browsing and network are protected. What you want more? And no more false positive warnings!
Cons: None till now.
Summary: I like it because I don't have to worry about it. It updates by itself. In six months just two warnings about web intrusions and that's all. Almost surely Kaspersky is better, but it's not free.
-
4 stars
Version: Avast Pro Antivirus 5.0.594
"Long-time user. Close to a 5, but had some trouble"
Pros: Easy to use. Does not ask much and seems to do the job at least as well as most.
Cons: It got a bit weird on me recently, or I would have given it a 5. Reinstalling worked.
Summary: I like it
-
4 stars
Version: Avast Pro Antivirus 5.0.594
"Great Virus Protection"
Pros: Keeps my computer safe. I have had AVAST for at least a couple of years. Works pretty flawlessly in the background, and I love the scanning screen saver. Great stuff. I like how the registration works with very little fuss with this new release.
Cons: I am finding it a bit more trouble to download and install it. More suggestions to buy the pro. Took many tries of clicking on the download button before it would download. No it wasn't because I forgot the activeX control at the top of the browser.
Summary: I pretty well summed it up above. It is free, and I tell people if the free product didn't actually protect your computer it would be difficult for people who really need more security to believe the Pro is a good product. So for those that I know who are surfing for personal fun, I say get AVAST free.
- Write review
Submit your review
- See more CNET content tagged:
- Avast,
- Internet security,
- P2P,
- anti-spam,
- antivirus
Previous Versions:
